Hong Kong's fine-dining and drinking lifestyle is an integral part of Claire Blackshaw's life, as the director of public relations for a five-star hotel. "It's a wonderful position to be in, but equally agonising for the waistline," she says.
Eager to make amends for her health, she signed up for a juice detox after chancing upon a Twitter post by local company Genie. For three days she replaced her three meals with six fresh-pressed juices delivered to her door. The detox worked, she says. "No alcohol, cigarettes or caffeine, no processed food; I felt lighter and less sluggish, even though I was tired, and I didn't have to make food decisions either."
The juice detox is not a new phenomenon and two local companies have recently given the concept a 21st-century facelift. As a result, there's something of a juice renaissance in Hong Kong.
There is value in a juice detox, says registered dietitian Gabrielle Tuscher - if positive aspects of the detox can be carried forward into everyday life once the programme is over. But she has reservations when it comes to their general efficacy and benefits, especially if followed for more than three days.
Juicing is an easy way to flood your body with concentrated amounts of vegetables and fruits, vitamins and antioxidants, she says, while lowering the things you want to avoid such as toxins, fat, salt and sugar. But following a programme for more than a few days "come at a price, as most commercial plans leave gaping nutritional holes in your diet".